Ash Angels
by ReadingRed
Summary: What if Anakin made a different choice that day in the High Council Room? A clan of younglings along with Padme might be just what he needs to keep him from the dark side. EDITED: Chapters 1-9 revised.
1. The Ash Angel Clan

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars

Title: Ash Angels

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter One: The Ash Angel Clan

When Anakin entered the High Council Chamber it was dark. _Such an unusual state for this room_, Anakin thought to himself. His mind flashed back to the first time he had ever entered this room. He was just a small boy, taken away from his home and everything he had ever known and yet somehow, the light and warmth of this room had been of comfort to him, even as he was tested.

He shook himself out of his reverie and reached out with the force, seeking the presence of any others. Immediately he felt that he was not alone, seven bright spots shown through the darkness.

Those in the room must've done the same, because just seconds after he entered, those small bright spots came out of hiding. Anakin saw the little head peek up over the tops and around the edges of the council member chairs. They saw it was him and they all stood, one boy coming forward.

"Master Skywalker, there are too many of them. What are we going to do?" The youngling, a boy about five standard years old asked him.

He looked into the child's bright blue eyes and saw no fear. This boy trusted him to take care of the situation. Anakin had come to kill this child and his friends and the boy was clueless. Anakin recognized the youngling as one of the children he had taught lightsaber drills to.

From three to six standard years the younglings are given lightsaber training with low powered lightsabers. The lightsabers wouldn't do much more than sting if they were to touch one of the younglings, or the master who was teaching them as the case often was, and the blade was only about a foot and a half long.

Anakin knew this boy was good with a lightsaber, but right now the child was practically defenseless. All the younglings in the High Council Room had their training lightsabers with them, but the smaller tools were nothing compared to Anakin's own. The youngling's lightsabers would be able to deflect blaster fire but not much else. Seemingly oblivious to the frailty of their weapons the younglings clutched their lightsabers as if they were about to go out and take down the entire clone army, this little blonde boy at their lead.

The boys name was Rolim Fardreamer and he was from Bestine, the capitol city of Tatooine, not far from where Anakin grew up. Anakin had been hoping that he would be able to take this boy on as an apprentice, but that was before. Before the siege, before Palpatine, before Anakin's world flipped upside down.

The other younglings stood behind Rolim waiting. They ranged in age from five standard years to three standard years. All of the younglings were human; there were five boys and two girls. Anakin looked the younglings over and recognized each one. They were all part of the Ash Angel Clan, a clan of younglings he had partial responsibility for training.

He saw Tuc Antilles a blonde boy with brown eyes who Anakin knew loved to play pranks. Next to Tuc stood Jaryn Archer and his twin Jeven. The two boys were a rarity at the temple, it wasn't often twins were both born with the force. The twins were the smallest younglings in the council room; they were only three standard years old. The boys looked exactly alike, both had light brown hair and green eyes, the only way Anakin knew to tell them apart was to use the force. The boys might look alike but they used the force differently. Jeven's force was like a blanket, he wrapped himself in it, using the force to protect himself and to extend his senses. Jaryn was different; the force around him was like an ocean. It flicked out in waves touching everything around him.

Cyan Voyx, a four standard year old boy was standing in a group with Bek Harkor, and Nova Mai the only two girls in the room. Cyan was tall for his age; he stood a head above every other youngling in the room, although he wasn't the oldest. He had straight, jet black hair, and dark eyes. Anakin enjoyed teaching Cyan because the boy honestly loved to learn. Cyan soaked up everything Anakin had to say and he never had to be told twice.

Bek and Nova were best friends, Bek was blonde, her hair reminded Anakin of a sunny day on Naboo and her blue eyes were like the sky. Nova looked just about as different from Bek as possible; she had curly black hair and brown eyes. She reminded Anakin of Padmé, both in looks and in personality. All the younglings were waiting for Anakin to respond to them.

Anakin knew what he must do. He was sent to kill all the Jedi. Not just the Masters and the Padawans but the younglings too. He knew that they would try to fight back, after all he had been the one to teach them. But he also knew they were children and they wouldn't last long.

He turned on his lightsaber and felt it hum to life. The blue blade shot out of the end and illuminated the dark corners of the room. Rolim and the others took a step back. They could finally see the truth.

Anakin hadn't come to be their savior. He had come to be their destroyer.

"Mm..Master?" Rolim spit out. "What are you doing?" The boy wasn't afraid yet, Anakin knew that deep down the child knew what Anakin was about to do.

Anakin turned his blade off.


	2. The Escape

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars

Title: Ash Angels

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Two: The Escape

Rolim grinned. He knew Master Skywalker wouldn't harm him or the rest of his clan. Master Skywalker lowered his hood and Rolim watched his eyes turn from the ugly yellow and red to his normal blue. Rolim could feel the anger leaving the Jedi Master and relaxed a bit as a sense of calm filled it's place.

"We must leave now younglings. It is no longer safe to be in the Jedi Temple. The clones have turned against us. You will need to be brave. We will get out of this alive. I promise," Anakin told the younglings.

They were not afraid. Fear lead to anger, anger to hate, and hate to the Dark Side. Every Jedi knew that, even the younglings. Fear was trained out of them. They were taught ways to deal with the emotions they felt so that in times like these, they could do what they were told and survive.

"The clones are all over the Temple, we will have to move fast to escape. Keep your lightsabers on, and stay alert. They will shoot you if they get the chance." The younglings listened attentively. As one they turned on their blades. Rolim saw Master Skywalker give them a small smile, and grinned himself.

"Follow me and stay close. We're going to the hanger one floor up. Use the force as a tool. Let it tell you where your enemies are and where your friends might be. If you see a Jedi who is hurt and still alive let me know. We may be able to save more lives."

Anakin turned and used the force, asking it to tell him if any clones were close. He wasn't worried for his own safety; he knew he could easily take out a large number of clones. It was the younglings he was concerned for. He didn't have to worry though, the area outside the High Council Room was clear.

"Let's go. We might not have much time before more clones come this way."

The Council Room was the first place Anakin had gone when the siege started. He had wanted to kill the Jedi Masters that he felt had stood in his way.

He had gone alone and didn't know where the clones were, or where they would go next. Anakin used the force to open the door and ran out into the corridor. The younglings followed him keeping pace with his much longer legs.

The group ran past dead bodies, clones and Jedi, laying side by side in an ironic parody. Anakin hoped the children were young enough that one day they might forget the images of their teachers and friends, their family dead at their feet.

They kept running. It seemed to Anakin that it took hours for them to reach the staircase that would take them up to the next level in the Jedi Temple. As Anakin and the younglings started up the staircase a troop of Clones turned the corner and started down the stairs, blasters drawn at the ready.

The younglings and Anakin were out in the open, he had no hope that the clones would miss them. Anakin sprang into action. He jumped and used the force to push him closer to the enemy. His lightsaber was an arch of light as it slashed through clone after clone.

Everywhere clones were falling in pieces, Anakin's lightsaber cutting off arms and legs, slashing torsos and chopping heads. The younglings were deflecting any blaster shots that came their way, the older younglings protecting the younger ones.

They worked as a team, Anakin at the top of the stairs killing most of the clones, the younglings at the bottom of the stairs keeping themselves and the rest of their clan safe. The clones kept coming. Anakin had killed at least fifty, and the younglings killed ten by reflecting the clones own blaster shots back at them.

The battle on the staircase lasted for ten minutes and the only loss of life was that of the clones. The bodies were piled so high that Anakin had to help the smaller younglings over them.

"Come, we're almost there," Anakin told the younglings. They raced down the hall to the giant doors that led to the landing pad. Anakin opened the door and the younglings tumbled out into the fresh air, or at least as fresh as the air on Coruscant ever got. Anakin looked out across the landing pad and as his eyes franticly searched, his heart fell. It was empty. There wasn't a single aircraft docked on this level.

Just as he was about to send the younglings back inside to another landing pad he saw it. An air taxi coming their way. It wasn't perfect but it would hold all eight of them.

"There!" he shouted pointing it out to the younglings. "Run!"

He could feel the clone reinforcements closing in. From what he could tell from the force nearly every clone trooper in the Temple was closing in on them. They needed to get out of there fast. The younglings and Anakin ran to the air taxi just as it was passing under the landing pad. He swept the two youngest children, Jeven and Jaryn into his arms as they ran.

"Jump," he shouted. The younglings listened. As one they all jumped. Anakin felt the air as it flowed over him, and notced that the two younglings in his arms didn't even flinch as he jumped off a building with them. Their faith in him was disturbing. _What have I done to earn it?_ Anakin thought.

It was a short jump from the end of the platform to the air taxi and with the force they all easily made it into the passing air taxi.

The seven children and one man landing in the middle of his air taxi scared the driver half to death. Anakin let the twin slide from his arms to the floor of the open air taxi. Both twins looked up at him with a grin before the followed the other younglings into the backseat and buckled the safety restraints as if they did this every day. Well with Anakin as a teacher that wasn't far from the truth.

"Move" Anakin yelled at the pilot. The Gran male jumped out of the way. Scrambling into the back seat in between Rolim and Tuc, he nodded at the boys who nodded back.

Anakin gunned the engine and the air taxi jolted forward. They zoomed off just in time. A legion of clone troopers exited onto the landing pad. The clone troopers fired at the air taxi but Anakin was too good a pilot. He easily evaded the blaster fire and soon the air taxi was far away from the Jedi Temple.


	3. Always

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars

Title: Ash Angels

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Three: Always

Anakin thought as he flew. He knew that they couldn't stay out in the open forever. He'd already made one stop to let the taxi pilot out, with the promise that he'd return the taxi or at least provide for it to be returned. Deep down he knew where he would go, where he would take the younglings. Subconsciously he flew the air taxi there. Before he knew it, they were at Padmé's home.

He landed the air taxi on her private landing pad.

"Come younglings, we will be safe here for now," he told them as he jumped out of the open air taxi. The younglings followed suit and they hurried into Padmé's home.

"Anakin!" Padmé shouted rushing towards him and the younglings.

Rolim was the first to see Padmé. He turned on his lightsaber out of instinct, the twins, Jaryn and Jeven, and Cyan did the same, copying his move. Bev, Nova, and Tuc recognized Padmé as a senator and one of Anakin's friends and didn't draw their weapons.

"Padmé!" Anakin yelled back, opening his arms just in time to catch the woman. They embraced passionately but quickly. Anakin soon loosened his hold on his wife, loath to let his wife and unborn child out of his arms. Padmé took a step back and looked from Anakin to the younglings and back to Anakin. He could see the question in her eyes.

"Anakin?" This time she said his name as a question. The name spoke volumes, he knew what she wanted to ask, "who are they, what are they doing here, where were you," he wasn't sure what question she wanted the answer to first so he decided to answer them all, but first he wanted the younglings out of the room.

"Rolim, Tuc, I want you two to take the rest of the Clan to the room at the end of the hall. Meditate or practice using the force to move objects. Remember, objects, not people," he said with a smile.

The younglings knew a dismissal when they heard one, and it was not in their nature to disobey so the room was void of younglings in a matter of seconds.

"Anakin?" Padmé asked again.

"They're my Clan, the one I was to teach. I've been a part of their training at the Temple for the past year."

"Clan?" She asked

"Yes, it's what we call the groups the younglings are placed into after they first come to the Temple. They're the Ash Angel Clan, named for an avian from the planet Sallust. Ash Angels are remarkable creatures; they're survivors, adapted to thrive despite desperate circumstances, even in Sallust's harsh environment. I see now how well Yoda chose when he picked Ash Angels as the name for this Clan. He knew they would survive against all odds." Padmé listened attentively her hand resting gently on her belly. It was a gesture he had noticed Padmé doing even before she started showing evidence that she was carrying a child.

"What did they survive? Why are they here?" She asked.

"I… I had to take them with me. You don't know what's happened do you?" She shook her head.

"The clones have turned on us. They were given the order to kill all Jedi."

Padmé gasped in horror covering her mouth with her hand. "No," she murmured. "No," she said again this time a little louder. "It can't be. Who would do such a thing? Who would order them to destroy the Jedi?" She asked looking into his eyes.

"Palpatine," he said calmly. He knew that he had to tell her the rest of the story.

Padmé seemed too shocked to speak. He helped her to sit down, worried for both her and the baby.

"Padmé, there's more. I… I knew about what was going to happen to the Jedi. I was sent by Palpatine to the Temple to assonate any Jedi I came across. The younglings were the first Jedi I found. I was ready to kill them. I had my lightsaber on and was about to kill them all when I looked at their faces. I remember little things about them. Like Tuc liking to play tricks on the Jedi, Rolim being the leader of the Clan, the twins Jeven and Jaryn and their differences. I just looked at all the Clan and I… I couldn't do it. I turned my lightsaber away from the younglings and together we fought our way out. I didn't know where else to go. The only place I wanted to be was with you so I flew the younglings here. Please forgive me. Please, I'm so sorry. Please," Anakin pleaded with her tears shinning in his eyes. Padmé was crying silently, her hand covering her mouth.

"Ani, why?" Her puzzlement was clear on her face. He wondered how long it would take for that look to turn to one of hatred.

"Padmé I've been having dreams again, like the ones I had about my mother, except this time they're not about her death… they're about yours."

He hadn't wanted to tell her that part, but he knew that he would have to tell her the truth from now on, if she were to ever trust him again.

"Padmé, the Chancellor told me that he would teach me how to save you. He said that the Jedi couldn't teach me what I needed to know. He said only he knew the way to stop you from dying. He promised that if I did what he told me, if I followed his instructions exactly that I would be able to save your life. To save our baby's life," Anakin didn't miss the way she brought her other hand to rest protectively around her unborn child. He stammered and continued, knowing he had to get it all out in the open.

"So I did it, I was willing to do anything, for you, for our family. Only when I went there, when I saw the younglings, when I looked into their little faces and remembered all these little things about them, I couldn't do it. I saw each one of them as our child. I asked myself if I could do this if it were my baby. I thought about Palpatine, if he was willing to kill all the Jedi, what would stop him from killing you or our baby the first time I went against his orders? I knew then that I could no longer do as he asked. I'll find some other way to save you and our child." Anakin finished his confession. He had told her everything there was to know; now it was all up to her. He watched her for some clue to what she was thinking. He saw her back straighten, and her face clear of emotion.

"Anakin," she said calmly. "I need you to answer me this one question. Did you kill any Jedi today?" She looked into his eyes, holding his gaze.

"No," he answered honestly. Padmé let out the breath she had been holding and rushed into his arms.

"Ani, oh Ani, I forgive you. You were trying to do the right thing. I'm just so glad you didn't hurt anyone. Oh Ani." She cried into his shoulder. He held her in his arms and placed a kiss on the top of her head. Tears were forming in his eyes anew. He saw now all that he would've lost if he had killed the younglings or any of the Jedi. Padmé would never have stayed with him, instead of losing her to death he would've lost her by his own actions, her and their child.

"Master Skywalker!" Rolim's voice carried down the hall. "Master Skywalker, they're coming!" Rolim and the rest of the Clan appeared at the end of the hall. Anakin reached out with the force.

The younglings were right. He could feel it now, there was at least a platoon of clone troopers closing in. He felt like kicking himself for letting them get so close. It should not have been up to a youngling to inform him of danger. Now as it was, they maybe had ten minutes to get out of there before the clones were on them.

"Padmé, we have to go now. Will you come with us?" He asked her earnestly.

"Always Ani."

**AN: Okay, just a quick note. I just want to say that Star Wars fan fic reader's rock. Seriously you guys are the best. I've written stories for Bones, Gilmore Girls, Harry Potter, and Law & Order: SVU, and the people who read those are cool too, but I've gotten more reviews, alerts, and favorites per chapter on this story than any of the others, so I just want to say thanks for being so awesome.**


	4. Another Escape

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars

Title: Ash Angels

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Four: Another Escape

"We should take the Cruiser," Padmé said referring to her Naboo Royal Cruiser. Anakin knew she was right, after all if they wanted to get off planet they'd have to do it soon.

The Naboo Royal Cruiser did not have any weapons but being a transport ship for officials of Naboo, it had the best defenses possible, and it could out run most other ships. It was the best choice possible considering their only other option was the speeder Padmé used to get around Coruscant. They'd have to switch it out for a ship with weapons if they ended up spending much time in space, but for now it would certainly do. Anakin nodded his agreement with the plan.

"Younglings, follow us. Lightsabers out, be ready to deflect blaster fire. We're to the landing platform." The youngling all looked at Anakin with determination on their faces. They would escape once again. They would survive once again.

Anakin and Padmé led the rag tag group out of the main living quarters and down a short corridor to the exit onto the landing platform that would leave them closest to the Cruiser. Anakin wanted them to be out in the open for the shortest time possible. They exited Padmé's home and ran to the Cruiser, Anakin using the force to open the door as they ran so when they reached the Cruiser they could run in.

Anakin could feel the clone troopers getting closer and closer. The number so vast he knew that even he might not be able to defeat them all, and even if he somehow made it out alive he knew he would be alone. There was no way he could keep all the younglings and Padmé safe from the enemies closing in. There was no choice but to make it to the Cruiser in time.

Anakin, Padmé, and the younglings were about ten feet away from the Crusier when the first of the clone ships arrived over head. Immediately the clones zeroed in on them and blaster fire rained down, pinging off the ground and sending a shower of dust and ground material into the air. Lightsabers were moving in a flurry, swinging back and forth, deflecting blaster fire back at the ship over head.

The first of the younglings, along with Padmé reached the Cruiser when Anakin heard a scream. He looked back and saw little Jaryn lying on the ground. His heart stopped, and he couldn't breathe.

No it couldn't be. The boy was too young to die. He was only three years old. Anakin raced to the fallen boy just as the child raised his head. Anakin's heart started beating again. Jaryn wasn't dead! Anakin swung the boy up into his arms, balancing Jaryn on his hip and continuing to deflect blaster fire with his lightsaber in his free hand. He ran back to the cruiser.

Padmé had left the door open for them but had taken the younglings up into the cockpit and started the starship. Anakin could feel the hum of the engines under his feet as he raced up the gangplank. Once he and Jaryn were safely inside Padmé remotely closed to door behind them. Anakin set Jaryn down on the boy's feet.

He looked the child over. The youngling appeared to be fine. Anakin knelt down in front of the boy.

"Jaryn, what happened, are you okay?" Anakin asked calmly. He could feel the Cruiser lift off into the air, Padmé flying them to safety. He didn't care where they went. He knew with Palpatine taking over there would be no safe place for them to go in the galaxy. He would have to stay on the run, stay hidden until they could find a way to get rid of Palpatine.

He just wanted Padmé, his child, and the younglings safe and away from here. He looked back down at the child, breaking himself away from that train of thought.

"I am fine, Master Skywalker. I tripped. I am sorry." The boy looked so small in his standard white youngling robes. The look of sorrow on Jaryn's face made Anakin burn with anger. How dare someone do this to a child, Anakin quickly squashed the anger. He knew that he would not do anything good for him. He put a hand on Jaryn's shoulder.

"You have done nothing wrong, young one." It was all that needed to be said. The small words of affirmation was all the boy needed to hear. A smile flashed over his face, Jaryn transformed back into the happy, loving, child he had always been.

"Come, let's find the others," Anakin said as he straightened and stood up. He felt the boy slip his small hand into Anakin's larger one. Anakin looked down at the boy and smiled. The boy nodded and the two made their way to the cockpit.

Padmé, it seemed, had made all the youngling latch themselves into the safety restraints. She was in the pilot's chair leaning over the controls.

Padmé flew well in normal situations, but Anakin knew that flying was one thing and avoiding being shot out of the air by a dozen clone ships was another. Quietly cursing himself for not getting there sooner he took over the control from his wife. Gratefully, she moved out of the pilot's chair and let him take over.

Anakin was now in his element. He had always been more comfortable in the air than anywhere else. He felt for a moment like he was back on Tatooine, and flying in his last podrace. He gunned the engines and felt the Cruiser respond. The ship shot forward and soon they were putting a good amount of distance between themselves and even the fastest of the clone ships.

"Any requests on which planet we go to?" Anakin asked as they left Coruscant's orbit and the last of the clones. Anakin figured they had about four minutes until they needed to be in hyperspace, four minutes until every clone on Coruscant caught up with them.

He laughed when he received a request to the home planet of every person on the ship. It added up to Alderaan for Tuc, Tatooine for Rolim, Jaryn and Jeven wanted to go home to Corellia, Nova asked to go to Haruun Kal, Bek said Wayland, and Cyan wanted Myrkr, even Padme suggested Naboo.

Anakin went through the planets one by one in his head. He ruled all of the planets out for one reason or another until he was left with Alderaan and Myrkr. Alderaan, because it was a neutral planet and had always been one, and because it was populated by mostly humans. It would be very easy for them to blend in on Alderaan, but it would also be high on Palpatine's list of where they might go.

Anakin knew Palpatine would go to Naboo first, and then Tatooine, and he was sure Alderaan would be next.

Alderaan and Naboo were very similar, both in politics and culture, they were both places Padmé could feel at home, and Anakin was sure Palpatine knew of his love for Padmé. It wouldn't take much thought to realize that Anakin would want Padmé to be happy in her home, and if she couldn't have Naboo, he would give her the next best place. So unfortunately Alderaan out of the running.

Now Anakin was left leaning more toward Myrkr because it would be the last place Palpatine would look for them. Jedi never go to Myrkr.

It was not the high metal content of the trees that kept the Jedi away, though that characteristic does have notable advantages; the teeming forests of Myrkr obscure sensor readings, making it an ideal hiding place for those on the run from the law.

The natural predators that roam the Myrkr forests aren't the reason either, though the sleek and agile vornskrs exhibit a predisposition to attack Force-sensitive's, making them a danger to younglings and those untrained in the ways of the Force.

The reason lies in the small sessile salamander-like creatures that live in trees. The native ysalamiri have the singular ability to _push back_ the Force. Their presence creates a bubble wherein the Force doesn't exist. A Jedi trapped in an ysalamiri's presence cannot tap the mystical energy field that defines their abilities.

After reviewing his options Anakin choose Myrkr. It would be perfect. They would be able to hide there until a better option presented itself.

Anakin looked back at the younglings and Padmé. They were all strapped into seats and safe, the youngest ones struggling to stay awake. He smiled at them and they all smiled back, eager to learn their final destination.

"We're going to Myrkr."

**AN: Some of the parts about Myrkr and the names of the other planets were taken from Star Wars .com, and no I don't own that either.**


	5. Forgiven

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars

Title: Ash Angels

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Five: Forgiven

It was a long flight from Coruscant to Myrkr and the younglings had long since fallen asleep. He had left the ship on auto just long enough to carry the younglings one by one into the sleeping courters.

Even Padmé had succumbed to slumber and was dozing upright in her seat, he had wanted to move her into a room of her own, but she had woken when he lifted her and demanded he let her stay with him only to fall asleep again soon after he set her back down.

So now Anakin was left to his thoughts, alone in the cockpit, the only sound being the gentle breathing of his sleeping wife.

His mind was troubled. His thoughts focused on the other Jedi. He wondered how many had made it out alive. Surely some of the more powerful Jedi had to have escaped as he and the younglings had done.

Anakin knew if any other Jedi escaped the Temple they would go into hiding, just as Anakin and the younglings were. He thought about Obi-Wan, Mace Windu, Yoda, and so many of the other incredibly strong Jedi Masters, surely they would've survived. He thought back to the sheer number of clones that had descended on the Temple, it had been incredible in a horrific way.

The Jedi had been out numbered thirty to one, and still Anakin was sure they fought, and even more certain that some of them had escaped.

He thought about the clones out in the rest of the galaxy that were paired with Jedi. The clones who were supposed to protect their Jedi at all costs would have only surprise on their side; the number of clones with each Jedi was much smaller. Those Jedi might have a change at surviving Order 66.

He knew his own Master had such a guard detail. Surely Obi-Wan was alive, he was too stubborn to die.

During the long flight to Myrkr, Anakin decided that he had to make up for the terrible things he had done. He had listened to the Chancellor, let the man fill his head with thoughts of deceit and personal grandeur.

Not only had he not warned the Jedi of the danger posed to them by the clones, he had led the clones into the Temple with the intent to kill all who lived there. He had been prepared to do much worse. Now he would do the opposite.

Instead of killing, he would protect life at all costs. Anakin would train the next generation of Jedi Knights, starting with the Ash Angel Clan. He would scour the entire galaxy looking for any Jedi who had survived the purge and bring them together.

They would make a new Jedi Temple on a safe planet somewhere. He along with any other Jedi he could find, would train a new set of Jedi, until they had a number so cast they could defeat Palpatine.

As if sensing a change in Anakin, Padmé woke up.

"Ani?" She asked, groggily straightening out in her seat. She wiped her eyes with a fist and yawned once. Anakin laughed gently remember when Jeven had done the same thing. Anakin marveled at how different the innocent gesture, when preformed by Padmé, was from little Jeven. Padmé stood and walked to him, more alert now.

"What is it Ani? I can tell you are tense," she asked placing her hands down on his shoulders, gently kneading the stressed flesh. Anakin let out a sigh as he felt the muscles in his back relax.

"I know what we have to do Padmé. What I have to do." He looked over his shoulder and caught her gaze. Padmé's hands stilled on his shoulder and he caught a flash of worry cross her face. He hurried to explain.

"I have to make this all right. I can't bring back those who died today, but I will find a way to make this better. I want to continue training the younglings. I want to teach them everything I know about the Force, and how to live by the Jedi Code. I want to find any Jedi who survived the Purge and make a new Jedi Temple. I need to do this Padmé, for those who died, for the younglings, and for our baby."

Padmé nodded. "I understand Anakin. We'll do it. We'll find the last of the Jedi; we'll rebuild all that was lost today."

Anakin was grateful Padmé understood. He knew she would, Padmé was the most caring person he had ever met, but it was still a relief to hear her say the words.

Padmé left him again to his thoughts this time leaving to go check that the younglings were sleeping peacefully. He knew that it was uncommon for younglings to have nightmares, they were taught at a young age to meditate and clear their minds, but he also knew that the younglings had seen terrible things, the likes of which no one, especially not children, should ever have to see.

He wasn't sure how much death the younglings had seen at the Temple, but he knew they had witnessed violence. He knew they had seen the scores of clones that had intruded into their home, determined to kill them. Anakin was ashamed that it had been he who had let the evil in. He hoped that the younglings would forgive him. He hoped one day he might forgive himself.

**AN: wow, I was really surprised with some of the reviews I received. A few of you mentioned a couple of things that I had been planning on adding into this story later. I wanted to answer your questions so I decided to move up those story lines and put them in now, instead of a little later. I hope this chapter doesn't sound rushed. Thanks for reading and please leave me a review and let me know your thoughts on the chapter. It's a little shorter then what I usually write but I wanted to get it out and posted.**


	6. Reasons

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars

Title: Ash Angels

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Six: Reasons

"Anakin," Padmé said the next morning. He looked to her, showing her that she had his attention.

"I've been thinking… about what we'll say when we land on Myrkr. People will talk. We're not exactly inconspicuous; a woman and a man traveling with seven children. Maybe if there were fewer of them we could say we are a family, but seven? I don't think anyone would believe us. We can't say you all escaped the purge on the Jedi Temple. I'm sure anywhere we might go there will be clone troopers, or people devoted to the Chancellor. If they were to find out that you all are Jedi we would not be safe. I just don't know Anakin. What should we do?"

To be honest, up until that moment Anakin hadn't thought at all about what they would do after they escaped. He only wanted to get them, Padmé and the younglings, as far away from Coruscant and the Chancellor as possible.

"I… I don't know," Anakin sighed. "I guess we could split up. Maybe a man with four children and a woman with three might not attract as much attention."

Anakin hated himself for even suggesting it. As the words tumbled from his mouth he wished he could take them back. Padmé's face broke and tears came to her eyes.

"No! No Anakin, I'm not leaving you. We'll find a different way. We will, I know it," Padmé cried. Anakin set the ship to autopilot and took her into his arms.

"Shh, shh. I'm sorry; I did not mean it that way. I will never leave. Not you or our child. I promise." Padmé tucked her head into his chest and he felt her hot tears soaking through his tunic.

He gently kissed the top of her head, and pulled her even closer to him, as if trying to make them one. They sat like that until Padmé calmed. She looked up into his eyes.

"Never Anakin. Promise me."

"Padmé forever and always, I promise I will be with you," he vowed solemnly.

The sentimental moment was broken when Jeven and Jaryn entered the cockpit. Their steps anything but quiet, even with the hum of the ships engines filling the space.

"Master?" Jaryn's voice called out from the doorway where he and his brother had stopped. The boys looked surprised at his and Padmé's predicament. Padmé climbed off of Anakin's lap, wiping her eyes and straightening her rumpled dress.

"Yes?" Anakin asked, kindly motioning both boys to come closer.

"What happened at the Temple Master? Why did the clones turn on us?" young Jaryn asked.

The boy was only three standard years old, the younglings raised at the temple were smarter than their counterparts that were not, but Anakin didn't expect them to understand this on their own.

Beside him he heard Padmé take in a deep breath. Like hearing Jaryn's question was breaking her heart.

The little boy and his twin looked so lost. They had never left the Temple before, and now that they had, Anakin was sure this was not the universe they had expected to see.

Padmé opened her arms and the younglings hesitated. Anakin knew that she was offering a hug. His mother had raised him until he was nine years old, and he knew what the gesture meant.

Jeven and Jaryn on the other hand, did not. They had been raised at the Jedi Temple. Hugs weren't exactly common place. It wasn't unheard of for Masters at the Temple to show affection to the Younglings, but in most cases it was done with words, not actions.

He knew that it had been hard for him as a child to deal with the sudden absence of touch when he came to the Temple. He remembered wishing that he would've held on just a little tighter when he and his mother hugged the very last time before he left with Qui-Gon to become a Jedi, wishing that if he had, he might still feel her presence in his arms.

Anakin watched the boys standing in the doorway. He saw the longing in their faces, but he wasn't sure if they were longing for a mothers touch, or for an answer to their question.

He wondered if growing up in the Temple had severed any need they might've once had for affection. After a moment more of standing as straight and tall as three year olds could the twins exchanged a look. It seemed as if their natural instincts took over because soon after their shared look Jeven and Jaryn raced into Padmé's arms.

She gracefully picked both boys up into her arms and slid into the chair behind her.

She cradled the boys as best she could, her pregnant belly making it a slightly more difficult task then it might've been otherwise. Jeven and Jaryn's light brown hair blended with Padmé's darker shade as they nuzzled into her arms.

The boys looked so at home and comfortable in her embrace that Anakin forgot for a moment that they were not Padmé's natural born children.

He realized they would have to make it work. He had known that there was no way he would ever leave Padmé, but at this moment he came to the understanding that he would also never leave the Younglings.

They were the reasons he turned back to the Light. The Younglings, the Ash Angels, Padmé, his child, they were his reasons for staying sane, for staying devoted to all things good and pure.

He had no clue how, but they would make it work.


	7. The Story

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars

Title: Ash Angels

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Seven: The Story

Anakin sat in the pilot's seat watching his wife embracing the two children. It truly was a beautiful sight. Jeven seemed happier then Anakin had ever seen him before. The boy was laying his head on Padmé's shoulder and the look on his face could only be described as pure contentment. Jaryn seemed just as happy to stay on Padmé's lap and in her arms as his brother.

Padmé caught his gaze over the two boys' heads and smiled at him. He knew then that Padmé was just as devoted to the Younglings as he was. That thought brought yet another smile to his face.

She reached up and stroked Jaryn's head, his soft, thin hair running through her gentle fingertips. Jeven and Jaryn both lifted their heads and looked at her.

"Jeven, Jaryn. Would you please go get the rest of your clan? Master Skywalker and I wish to speak to you all. We will answer any questions you have then," Padmé told the twins.

The three year olds climbed of her lap and raced out of the room. Anakin could've sworn that the boys used the force to help them go faster, both so eager to do as Padmé had asked.

Once she was sure the boys were out of hearing range she turned to Anakin with a worried look.

"How much do they know?" she questioned. He knew immediately what she was asking about.

"I do not know. I am fairly certain that they do not know what caused the clones to turn, only that they did switch sides and started killing Jedi."

"Then what should we tell them?"

"We tell them the truth. Always." At that Padmé looked surprised. "I know it is not how most children are raised, but these are not most children. They are Younglings," Anakin said, stressing the word.

"They are more intelligent, stronger, faster, more intuitive, and all around more mature than their counterparts. They will know when you are lying to them. If you truly do not wish for them to know something, tell them your reasons for keeping it from them. They will understand. Above all, younglings are obedient. For most of them, the thought of going against what they are told has never entered their mind at least not at these ages. Though I suspect we are going to encounter quite a few changes in their demeanor." Anakin had to suppress a shudder at the thought of seven rebellious Force-users, but as he thought more on the matter, he began to see the upsides of a life away from the Temple.

"Being away from the Temple for the first time, and away from their strict schedule I get the feeling that they will start to exhibit some of the behaviors average children display while still keeping their Force abilities. In fact we already saw it happen. Jeven and Jaryn would've never given you a hug if we had been in the Temple. I, for one, am happy that they all will get to experience some of what the universe has to offer. I just wish it hadn't have come at this cost."

Before Anakin and Padmé could think anymore on the depressing turn their conversation had taken, the Younglings entered the cockpit. The room was round and open, with more than enough space for the seven children and two adults to fit comfortably.

Jaryn and Jeven went immediately to Padmé and climbed on her lap. The older younglings were a bit more reserved. Tuc and Rolim, the two oldest younglings stood at the front of the group, Cyan, Nova, and Bek stood slightly behind and a little to the left of the two boys.

"Younglings, I know you all have been thinking about what happened at the Temple and I want to explain it all to you." The younglings looked relieved that they would finally be getting the answers they so wanted. "You all may sit" Anakin told them.

He knew the Younglings would stay standing until they were told to sit or they were dismissed. The Younglings all sat, crossing their legs and placing their hands in their laps. Bek and Nova, the only two girls sat next to one another, and the three boys formed a group next to them.

"The story starts months ago when Master Kenobi and I went on a rescue mission to save Chancellor Palpatine. He had been kidnapped by the Separatists." Cyan and Nova nodded their heads, showing that they remembered the mission, or at least the rumors of the mission that had floated down even to the smallest of ears.

"Master Kenobi and I made it inside General Grievous' flagship and found the Chancellor. With him was the Sith, Count Dooku. He engaged Master Kenobi and I in a fight, Master Kenobi was rendered unconscious after Dooku used the Force to throw him across the room and into a wall." Bek gasped at the thought of a Jedi she knew being hurt in such a manner. Anakin smiled thinking of what Obi-Wan's reaction to the girl would have been.

"Shortly after that I was able to disarm Count Dooku and I had my lightsaber at his throat. Behind me I could hear the Chancellor. He was telling me to kill Count Dooku. I didn't want to. It was not the Jedi way. He was unarmed, a prisoner, I had no reason to kill him, but still the Chancellor wanted me to." Before Anakin could go on any farther Rolim broke in with a question.

"What did you do Master Skywalker? Did you kill the Sith?" Anakin looked at the boy and raised an eyebrow. Ashamed Rolim dropped his head. Anakin didn't point out that Rolim should not interrupt, the boy knew what he had done and Anakin was fine with letting the boy correct his own behavior.

"No, I did not kill him. That was the first time the Chancellor tested me. He wanted me to take a step closer to the Dark side. Master Kenobi and I had to fight our way out. We made it out and Count Dooku was taken to a Republic prison in the outer reaches of the galaxy. The Chancellor continued to try to manipulate me. I was just too blind to see it at the time." Anakin paused to take a breath and collect himself. Seeing that he needed support, Padmé reached over and placed a hand on his back. He nodded to her and began to speak again.

"I began to dream of Padmé's death. When I spoke of these dreams to the Chancellor, he told me that he could teach me to keep someone from dying. He knew that I would do anything to keep her and our child from death. He asked me to be his eyes and ears inside the Jedi Council, and I said yes. For that, and so many other things, I am sorry. I wanted to save my wife and our baby."

He had to pause again. Telling Padmé and the Younglings this story was making him relive it all. The process was draining to say the least. He looked over the Younglings and Padmé to take note of their reactions. He expected judgmental looks and angry faces, but all he received were calm and loving expressions. He knew the worst of it was yet to come but for now they gave him the strength to move on with the story.

"It went on for weeks. I would tell Palpatine what the Council was doing and I informed the Council of the things Palpatine was doing. After Master Kenobi left for Utapau, Palpatine reveled to me the fact that he was a Sith Lord, and was controlling both sides in the war. I told Master Windu the things Palpatine had told me and together we went to confront Palpatine."

"Master Windu and Palpatine dueled and at the end of the fight Windu had Palpatine subdued. I panicked. I was afraid that if Master Windu killed Palpatine I would never find out how to save Padmé. I used the Force and tossed Master Windu across the room. Palpatine got up from his place on the ground and went to check on Master Windu. He told me Mace had died and I believed him. He told me that I had used the Force out of anger. He said that it was too late to go back, that I was now a part of the Dark side."

"He initiated an objective called Order 66. It was an order to the clone troopers that they were to kill the Jedi they were with, the ones they had sworn to protect, the Jedi who trusted them. And then he sent me to the Jedi Temple do to the same. I was sent to kill any Jedi that the clones hadn't already killed."

"You all were the first Jedi I saw in the Temple that night. You know the story from that point on. I saw you and I could not do proceed. I could not kill any of you. I realized that Palpatine had been manipulating me the entire time. I saw that what he had told me to do was wrong, beyond any wrong that I had ever done before. I knew that I would find another way to save my wife and child. I am sure now that Mace Windu was alive and Palpatine was lying when he said I had killed him. I can feel him through the Force. We will see him, and other Jedi, soon. I'm not sure where or when but I know it to be true."

**Leave a Review, you know you want to! For those of you who are wondering the younglings names are pronounced as follows:**

**Rolim= Row-lim, row like row a boat, and lim pronounced like the first part of lemon**

**Tuc= Tuck**

**Bek= Bec, like in Rebecca**

**Nova= no-VAH, like the tv show**

**Cyan= sigh-an **

**Jeven= jeve-in rhymes with seven**

**Jaryn= jare-in, jare like in Jared**


	8. Cyan

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars

Title: Ash Angels

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Eight: Cyan

The younglings sat stunned, the astounding nature of Anakin's confession overriding their child-like nature to be constantly on the move. When the shock wore off they were back to their old selves, asking questions like usual.

"Myrkr is a large planet, is it not?" Came a quiet, yet confident voice. Anakin nodded to the child, confirming her assessment of the planet's size. "Which port are we going to land on?" It was Nova, she hadn't said much since they had left the Temple and Anakin was happy to once again hear her soft voice.

Anakin was slightly surprised that their destination was the question that Nova wanted to know first. He was elated that the younglings seemed to still trust him after all that he had done.

He reached out with the Force, letting it seep into everyone in the cockpit. From Nova there was curiosity and peace. Rolim and Tuc had identical feelings, hunger and eagerness, the eagerness was to find out the answer to Nova's question he presumed. Jeven and Jaryn, still on Padmé's lap, had happiness coming off them in waves.

Cyan's feelings were the most complex. The boy was sad and as Anakin delved deeper into the younglings feeling he found that Cyan was struggling not to blame Anakin for the death of the Jedi he loved.

Bek's feelings were opposite of Cyan's. Instead of mistrusting Anakin he felt that she had an even deeper connection to him now that he had told them all the truth.

"We're going to land on one of the southern ports on Myrkr. We may need to travel to other areas of the planet later but for now, I don't think any one area of the planet has any better opportunities than another" Anakin answered the youngling.

"I believe that other Jedi will head to this planet too. We'll wait for more Jedi to come, and if they don't we'll search the Galaxy for them. I will continue your training and one day we will defeat Palpatine and his evil Empire."

At that the younglings smiled, the first real smiles he had seen on some of their faces since the purge at the Temple.

"You all should go now. Meditate; seek peace with what I have told you. We will arrive on Myrkr soon." The younglings stood and Jeven and Jaryn reluctantly slid from Padmé's lap.

The younglings filed out of the cockpit one by one. Just before Cyan walked through the doorway Anakin stopped him.

"Cyan, come here please," Anakin's order was gentle but firm, letting the child know he didn't really have much of a choice but to listen.

The boy paused comically in mid step. One foot held suspended in the air for a few seconds as he decided whether to turn and face Anakin or to continue walking away.

Eventually he turned and stepped towards Anakin.

"I know you are… conflicted, and I'm glad for that Cyan. It means that you care for those who were lost. I am very sorry that my actions led to the deaths of many Jedi. They were my family too. I will spend the rest of my life making up for the mistake I made that caused so much damage. You can blame me for a while if you want, but eventually that blame with turn to anger and then to hate. I won't let you go down the same path I did. Believe me the Dark Side is not a place you want to go. For the sake of those that were lost. The ones that dedicated their lives to raising you to become a good Jedi Knight, do not let yourself hate me."

"I don't Master! I don't hate you. I just don't understand. Why didn't you see that he was manipulating you? Couldn't you tell that he was lying to you? You're the best Jedi I know, how could you be so blind?" Cyan looked ashamed even as he yelled at Anakin. It was unheard of for a youngling to be so insolent and rude to a Jedi Master.

"I focusing so hard on what I wanted that I didn't see the steps he was making me take to get there. Do you understand?" Anakin asked.

Cyan nodded but Anakin knew the boy could not fully understand his circumstances. Deciding the boy had had enough for the day Anakin patted him on the shoulder.

"May the Force be with you Cyan."

"And with you Master."

Anakin nodded and the boy turned and ran off after his friends. Anakin searched Cyan's emotions and finding that his emotions were not as conflicted as before, came to the conclusion that their small talk seemed to have helped the boy.

"That boy reminds me of you Ani," Padmé's soft voice came from behind him. He snapped out of his revere and turned to his wife.

"How so?" He asked interested in his wife's observation.

"He's old. I'm not sure how else to put it. It's as if he's a wise old man stuck in a child's body. He sees the world in black and white, like you used to. Good guys and bad guys, and one in a certain group cannot ever switch to another," Padmé explained. As she searched his face she saw that Anakin was having trouble connecting the boy to him as a child.

"Do you remember the first thing you ever asked me?" Padmé asked gently touching his face, contrasting the lines on the face of this man and the child version she had first met.

"Of course Padmé, I remember everything about those days you, Obi-Wan, and Qui-Gon spent with me on Tatooine," Anakin answered trying not to let her hands distract him as she slid a gentle finger across his eyebrow.

"You asked me if I was an angel. You thought I was pretty, yes?"

"Beautiful," Anakin corrected just as Padmé ran her thumb down the side of his face.

"And good?" she asked touching him once more, her finger coming to a rest on his chin.

"The best."

"So would you say you thought I was pure?" Padmé said as she pulled her hand away from him.

"Yes."

"And what was the most beautiful, good, and pure thing you knew of?"

"An angel."

"See?"

"I suppose," Anakin said with a wry grin.

"You are his idol, you know that? You are the best, strongest, most clever Jedi that has ever lived to Cyan. He doesn't hate you; he just didn't understand why the best, strongest, and most clever Jedi he knows couldn't see what was happening right in front of his face. Do not disappoint him again. He might not forgive so easily the next time."

"Never," Anakin promised.


	9. Olic Ca'al

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars

Title: Ash Angels

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Nine: Olic Ca'al

The younglings had been filled with questions for the first few days after Anakin revealed the truth of what had happened at the Temple.

From mundane to deep, the younglings seemed to ask Anakin every question that popped into their heads. Ordinarily it was unheard of for a youngling to demand justification from a Master for any action the latter had taken, but considering the circumstances Anakin felt it was warranted.

After the crazy questioning phase the rest of the trip went smoothly. The younglings all seemed to have returned to normal or as close to normal as they could get; even Cyan was back to his usual self. He might as well have been Anakin's shadow the way he followed the older man around.

Where Anakin went Cyan went too. Padmé enjoyed the spectacle immensely, a grin gracing her face every time Cyan looked up at Anakin with his big brown eyes.

She wasn't sure if Cyan's renewed hero worship was because of Anakin's talk or because Anakin has chosen Cyan's homeworld as their sanctuary. Regardless of which reason it was, it gave her a great sense of happiness when she saw how good Anakin was with the boy, and the way the little one loved Anakin.

For as much as Cyan was Anakin's shadow, Jeven and Jaryn were Padmé's. The two boys were always by her side. The three year olds seemed to be making up for the lack of positive physical contact they'd had in their first few years of life by spending every waking moment with Padmé.

The others were continuing to act as if they were still at the Temple. They were respectful, considerate, and obedient, the three traits that were expected from all younglings. They weren't looking for extra contact or attention, neither were they acting out the way some children might after a traumatic experience.

It seemed to Anakin that they were trying to find some comfort in the familiar, choosing to continue the behaviors that had been instilled in them at the Temple, rather than let yet another aspect of their lives change.

With his mind off the children and their behaviors he instead turned to their future. Anakin still didn't know how they could possibly find a way to blend in on Myrkr. They were fast approaching the end of their voyage and still neither Padmé nor he had come up with a suitable story to explain the rather large brood.

Padmé, Jeven, and Jaryn entered the cockpit breaking Anakin out of his reverie.

She moved gracefully across the room, a child clinging to each side. The smile on her face was that of one who was completely at ease. The fact that she could look like that when they were in this situation amazed him.

Padmé came closer. When she was just out of arms reach Anakin flicked on the auto-pilot and rose to greet her. Gently he pulled her into his arms. Her grin grew and her eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Hello husband," she whispered.

"Hello wife," he replied before leaning down to kiss her. Padmé's soft lips on his felt like paradise.

Before the kiss could get any farther they were reminded that they were in the presence of two, three year olds.

Jeven and Jaryn giggled. Granted, it wasn't the worst thing they could've done, but it was enough to pull Anakin and Padmé out of their kiss. Anakin leaned his forehead on hers and smiled.

Still looking at Padmé, Anakin spoke to the young boys. "Jaryn, Jeven, go collect the other younglings please. I want you all to prepare yourselves. We're approaching the planet."

Jeven and Jaryn were off like starships, racing each other out of the cockpit.

Anakin took a step away from Padmé. He needed to collect his thoughts and being so close to Padmé was a distraction to say the least.

"We're almost there. Padmé we need to get this figured out. People will talk and we cannot take the chance of their talk spreading. If Palpatine were to hear anything he would send a force unlike any other to ensure our deaths. We would not stand a chance."

"I know, I know, and I've been thinking. Back on Naboo there is a religious group called Olic Ca'al, they are known to take in orphans and raise them. The religion has just recently undergone a huge expansion. There is very little organization and even less leadership. Because of this I doubt that we'll be questioned if we claim to belong. Perhaps we can pose as Olic Ca'al priests and say that the younglings are our orphan charges."

"Padmé, it's perfect."


	10. Blending In

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars

Title: Ash Angels

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Ten: Blending In

The descent to Myrkr went as smoothly as possible. Padmé made sure all of the younglings were strapped safely and Anakin haled the flight control station on Myrkr. They were given the go ahead and Anakin brought the ship down safely.

Before disembarking they gave the younglings the mission plan.

All of the younglings, even Jeven and Jaryn the youngest of the group, sat patiently waiting for their instructions. From birth they had been prepared for this. Readied for the day when they would get their first mission.

While this mission was out of the ordinary, it was by far more important. While most missions were diplomatic, this one was simple. Stay Alive.

There were things that the younglings need to know about their story. For one, the children taken in by the Olic Ca'al were expected to act a certain way, luckily it wasn't all that different from how younglings were expected to act. There were not to speak out of turn, only speaking when spoken to. Boys were to wear dark blue cloaks over white tunics; girls wore the opposite, white cloaks over dark blue tunics. Adult females wore white cloaks over white tunics; adult males in contrast had dark blue tunics under the dark blue cloaks.

While some of the rules seemed to be pointless, if they were not followed anyone who was familiar with the religion would know that they weren't who they claimed to be.

For instance, boys were always to walk to the left of their male keeper, while girls were to the right of their female keeper thus keeping the children separate from each other.

Padmé was a wealth of knowledge when it came to Naboo and her inhabitants, and even with Olic Ca'al being so new, Padmé had as much information about it as some of its true followers. As Padmé shared her information, the younglings sat listening with rapt attention, taking in everything Padmé had to say.

Finally Padmé had run out of helpful information about Olic Ca'al. They readied the younglings as best they could.

"Anakin, there's nothing we can do about their clothes as of now. I think it might be best if we acted like we weren't together until we can get the proper attire for children of the Olic Ca'al. Then we can meet back up and go from there." As much as it pained her to say it, and him to hear it, Anakin knew that it was a good plan. When they decided to start their charade it needed to be perfect.

They choose to let the children decide which of them would go with whom. Each child getting the opportunity to pick which adult they would stay with for the day.

Jeven and Jaryn went immediately to Padmé, just as Cyan went right to Anakin. The others seemed less sure. Seeing their discomfort at having to choose which adult to stay with, Anakin stepped in to calm their fears.

"Younglings, this is just for the moment. We will all be together again once we get the things we need to complete our charade. Remember the clothes Padmé said those who are in Olic Ca'al wear?" The younglings nodded, Rolim even going so far as to repeat the attire worn by the members.

"Right," Anakin confirmed. "Now once we manage to track down clothes like that we can be together, as it is now, if we were to claim to be Olic Ca'al we would be spotted as imposters immediately and that would not lead to good things for us," Anakin told the children, letting their minds come up with the consequences that might occur it they were found out.

The younglings decided quickly after that. Rolim and Tuc, along with Cyan chose to go with Anakin while Jeven, Jaryn, Bek, and Nova chose to be with Padmé.

"Alright, now that it's settled, I want you all to go get your packs for the day, you'll need something to put your robes in if we manage to find new clothes." The children responded to Anakin's order immediately, rushing off to their quarters.

Anakin turned to Padmé and gently took her into his arms. "Will you be okay with them all?" Anakin whispered breathily as he bent his head to kiss her. Padmé smiled at his concern. She lifted her chin slightly and rose up to meet Anakins' lips. She could feel his grin through the kiss and smiled herself. When they separated she looked up at Anakin and answered his question.

"We'll be fine Anakin. It shouldn't be difficult to find a market with a tailor's shop. I think we should go to different ones though. It would arouse too much suspicion to have the same orders from two different families."

"Be careful, Padmé. I couldn't survive if something happened to you."

The younglings came back and Anakin's and Padme's moment was over. With a look, Padmé said all was needed. She would be careful, she would stay safe.

"Alright, let's go," Anakin said. The younglings who had chosen to go with him falling into step behind him. Anakin looked over his shoulder and told Padmé, "wait about ten minutes; we'll go west so you can go any other direction. Meet back here before nightfall, or after you find the clothes. Whichever comes first." Padmé nodded and Anakin and the younglings left.

Even as they walked down the gangplank Anakin could feel the effects of the ysalamiri. They weren't close, Anakin could still access the Force, but he could certainly tell something was affecting it. It was a dangerous planet for Jedi to be on, but it would give them the advantage. On this planet Palpatine would just be an old man, not a Sith Lord. If he could teach the children ways to defend themselves without using the Force, Myrkr would be the perfect planet for them to live.

The dense forest on the planet had been pushed back from the city but the humidity that comes with such a vast wet forest was present the moment they left the ship. The heat of the planet was more of a comforting warmth, at least compared to the harsh heat of Anakin's homeworld.

Anakin led the way as they left the ship, heading west into the small city. Surely there would be a place for them to find clothes there. The younglings did their best to keep up with him, but even so Anakin had to pause every few minutes to let them catch up.

As they went deeper into the city the younglings let less and less space get between themselves and the Jedi Master. His constant strength was a comfort to them in the unfamiliar environment. The younglings had rarely left the Temple and when they had, they always stayed on Coruscant, a planet that was all city. So much nature was completely foreign to them.

They found their way to the market easily enough. The noise of all the people bartering and hawking their goods was unmistakable. Making their way through the throng Anakin searched out a tailor. Cyan spotted one a few shops down from where they stood. "Master! Over there, just past the butcher's stall." Anakin nodded his understanding and led the way.

Anakin pushed open the door to the shop and the younglings entered. The shop was brightly lit with glowing green lights. Racks upon racks of fabric littered the shop giving it a slightly cluttered feeling. A young man came out from behind one of the stacks "can I help you?" he asked.

Anakin nodded. "My children and I need some special clothes. We have a wedding to go to, and the bride and groom requested certain colors for all the guests to wear." It was the agreed upon story, Padmé and he had come up with. Just in case the tailors they found somehow made the connection, they would both figure they were going to the same wedding.

"Well I can certainly help you there. What is it you'll be needing?" The tailor asked, pulling out a scrap of paper from a pile.

"My sons will need outer cloaks made of dark blue fabric and white inner tunics. I'll need at tunic and cloak both made out of the same dark blue fabric."

The man wrote down the order just as Anakin said it. When he was finished, he looked up and cocked an eyebrow. "These boys all yours? They look nothing like one another."

Anakin forced a laugh. "I didn't say they all had the same mother." The tailor laughed at his joke and handed him a conformation paper so he could pick up the clothes when they were ready.

"The wedding's coming up fast. How long should it take for these to be ready?"

"I'll program the droid for it right away. I have three units available, and your order is fairly small. They should be done by mid day tomorrow."

With a nod at the tailor, Anakin and the younglings left the shop. Anakin watched the boys as together they walked through the market. Cyan's eyes were huge as he took in all the sights. Tuc and Rolim seemed to both be watering at the mouth from the smells coming from some of the food vendors.

Anakin remembered some of his very first missions with Obi-Wan when he was just a boy. Obi- Wan always took him to markets like this one, and let him buy whatever food he wanted. It became a bonding experience for the two of them. One he would gladly pass on to the younglings. He tapped Rolim on the shoulder and called to Tuc and Cyan. All three boys stopped and looked at Anakin.

"Are you boy's hungry?" The looks on their faces were sign enough that this was the right thing to do. They weren't starving, Padmé had kept her ship fully stocked so they had all ate well on their relatively short journey. But being around all the food was too tantalizing for such young children to resist.

All three boys nodded their heads. "Well then, let's eat."

Rolim and Cyan let out a whop of joy, a sound Anakin was sure only children could make. Tuc took a gentler approach; his head was on a swivel as he searched the stands for the best food.

"You must all stay together; I don't want anyone getting lost here. It would be much too easy for something bad to happen." The younglings nodded their heads earnestly and as promised they stayed together, Anakin following close behind.

Cyan ending up getting a local confection, a sweet, sticky desert roll, Tuc chose a fruit Anakin didn't recognize. It was fist sized, blue, and had irregular lumps covering the entire fruit; Tuc said it tasted sour and sweet at the same time. Rolim bought a bowl of soup made with Force only knows what. Rolim said it tasted good and Anakin had threatened to come back and do harm to the vendor if the boy ended up sick. The vendor didn't look overly worried so Anakin trusted that it was safe and let the young boy finish eating.

As they walked back to Padme's Cruiser Anakin found himself hoping that the others' day had been just as good.


	11. Protector

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars

Title: Ash Angels

Author: ReadingRed

Chapter Eleven: Protector

Padmé held the hands of two small boys and walked down the ramp from her ship. The other younglings followed close behind.

"Which way do you think we should go?" Padmé asked.

"Master Skywalker said he and the boys would go west. Maybe we could head that way" Nova said, motioning with her hand to the north.

Padmé nodded and said, "great idea."

Nova, Bek, Jeven, and Jaryn followed Padmé down the moss covered landing pad and onto the bustling street.

"Do you think we'll find a tailor's shop soon Padmé?" Bek questioned. "I'm excited to get the new robes. I like blue; I've never had blue robes before though, only boring colors like white and tan."

"Me too!" added Nova, sharing a grin with her friend. Padmé was glad that they were able to get excited about little things like new robes when they're entire lives had just been altered.

"I'm sure we'll find one soon. Most cities of this size have numerous tailors; it shouldn't be difficult for us to find one."

The girls grinned at hearing Padmé's answer. The small group wound its way through the crowd and continued following the road north, deeper into the city. As they walked the buildings they passed got taller and taller and the road seemed to be in better shape with each step.

Padmé took these signs to mean they were entering the more affluent section of the city. She sighed, resigning herself to the fact that the robes would now cost quite a bit more money but at least there was a better chance at finding a quality tailors shop.

She held tighter to Jeven and Jaryn's hands and motioned Bek and Nova to stay close as they walked. She didn't want to lose track of the younglings, regardless of the type of neighborhood they might be in.

The children were oddly quiet as they walked, Padmé thought as she compared them to her nieces. Those little girls couldn't stay quiet if their lives depended on it.

"What are you all thinking about?" Padmé asked, looking from one youngling to another.

"Nothing," said Bek.

"I miss Du Mahn" Nova said, sorrow clear in her voice.

Padmé didn't know what to say. She stopped walking and knelt down to Nova's level, letting go of the boys' hands as she lowered herself to the ground. She placed a finger under the girl's chin and gently lifted until Nova's head was level with her own and their eyes connected.

"Who is Du Mahn?" she asked quietly.

"She is our minder at the Temple. She takes care of us," Bek answered for her friend.

Padmé's heart dropped; of course they were missing people they had known at the Temple. She and Anakin had been foolish for not anticipating this.

"Do you think she's alive, Padmé?" Nova asked in a whisper.

"What does your heart tell you?"

"No… maybe… yes… I don't know. I think so," Nova said with a slight nod of her head.

"Then that's your answer. I can't tell you for sure but if your heart tells you that Du Mahn is still living then that is what we need to believe."

Nova grinned and launched herself into Padmé's arms, wrapping her own small arms tightly around Padmé's neck.

It was the first time Nova had come to Padmé for comfort, or even accepted personal contact, let alone initiated it and that gave Padme hope for the future of all the younglings.

Padmé held the girl tight, until Nova eased her arms away from Padmé's body, indicating that she was ready to be let go. Jeven and Jaryn on the other hand, were ready to take her place. Both boys pressed their bodies close to Padmé's and nuzzled their heads into her shoulder. Padmé rose with them in her arms and settled each of the young boys onto one hip, grateful for their small size.

"Now, let's see if we can't find that tailors shop." Padmé said before heading off down the cobbled street. Nova and Bek hurried alongside, keeping pace with Padmé and the boys.

They walked for another ten minutes and watched the city continue to grow up around them, the buildings becoming larger and closer together as they neared the center of the city.

"Padmé, something doesn't feel right. I don't like this anymore. It seems off to me. Please, let's go back to the ship and wait for Master Anakin." Nova whispered urgently, tugging at Padmé's sleeve. Padmé looked down at the young child before glancing around the empty street. Seeing no apparent danger, she looked back at the young girl.

"Are you sure? It doesn't seem as if anything is amiss from what I can tell."

"Please! You have got to believe me! Something isn't …" Just then a man appeared out of the shadow of a building nearby.

"You know, you really should have listened to her. It isn't safe to be wandering about these parts without a protector. I can help you there. My name is Jonash. I have a boy a little younger than your two. I certainly wouldn't want him to be wandering this city alone."

The man, Jonash, was average in nearly every way, average height and build, with hair that was neither too dark nor too light to be remarkable in any way. Even his eyes seemed plain and unoriginal. Absolutely nothing about this man stood out except his smile, it was the kind that would melt a woman's heart if she wasn't careful.

Padmé looked to Nova for an indication of whether or not this was the danger she had been sensing.

Nova shook her head and murmured, "it's gone now. The bad feeling. When he came, it left, whatever it was."

Padmé gave the man a smile, "thank you for your kindness. A guide would be appreciated, and hopefully a protector will be unnecessary. Would you be willing to fill that role until we can meet up with the rest of our party?"

Jonash grinned a relieved smile and slowly approached Padmé and the younglings. "Now, what are these ruffians called? They look to be quite the trouble makers," Jonash teased the quiet children.

Before the children could offer up their names, Padmé mused, "you said you have a son as well. Would you be comfortable sharing his name with a stranger, if our roles were reversed?"

Jonash smirked and answered, "Han. My boys' name is Han Solo."

**AN: Sorry it's so incredibly overdue. I'm going to make a concerted effort to post more regularly. In any case, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you think in a review please.**


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